No Longer Hollow
by FringeDivision2008
Summary: Etta Bishop plans to undo all the pain the universe has placed upon her family by going back to the beginning of it all...The Machine. However, Walter in 2174 sees the result of the plan and sets up his own plan to stop a universal war that Etta will bring on them all. Can he stop his granddaughter from bringing a war on a scale unseen or is he too late?
1. From 2036 to 2174 and back to 2028

No Longer Hollow

Spoilers: Season 4 and 5

Disclaimer: I really own everything but the direct Fringe Characters (Peter, Olivia, Etta, Walter, Simon, Nina, Broyles, Astrid, Michael and Fringe Division) and guest stars (Jessup) and alternate universe characters (Liv, Lincoln, Treavor, Walternate, Elizabeth, Charlie).

* * *

Simon Foster opened his eyes to the sight of a boy who looked much like an Observer. Behind him was Dr. Walter Bishop looking concerned. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw several doctors taking recordings and one removed the device over his mouth that helped him breathe.

"Slow breaths Agent Foster." The nurse smiled and he swore he was looking into blue eyes as similar to those of his partner or former partner as was Etta's luck with danger. "My name is Clara and we just removed you from a long stasis so you're going to feel weak."

He looked at Walter and grabbed the man's arm, "Etta…" his voice very weak it seemed from not being used in a while.

"She's quite well or was as now is the case but all is well Simon." He patted the man's hand and looked at the nurse, "how is he dear?"

Clara smiled, "quite well Grandfather, he'll be ready in no time."

* * *

They fiddled with things before leaving but not before Clara brought up a photo on the data board of his partner smiling. Checking his vitals she left and closed the curtain around his bed and the data board.

"Computer," he noticed the nurse having spoken to the computer before. "Identify person in photo."

The computer displayed information as it spoke in an automated voice. _"Two timelines identified for individual, select from timelines. Recorrection or Standard Timeline."_

Figuring the recorrection had to do with Etta's plan he spoke, "recorrection."

_"Recorrection timeline, individual identified as Henrietta Foster. Born December 21, 2012 to Olivia Dunham, Fringe Division Agent, and Peter Bishop, Fringe Division Agent. Attendance at Bright Light Academy from primary educational level till medial educational level. Entered Fringe Division Academy at higher educational level and graduated with honors as a Fringe Division Agent, First Degree in 2030. Ph.D. in Applied Quantum Temporal Physics and Ph.D. in Political Science, specialty Apprehension of Unknown Suspects gained in 2036."_

"Stop, identify family."

_"Family identified. Mother and Father previously stated as Olivia Dunham and Peter Bishop. Grandfather identified as Walter Bishop, reported missing March 2, 2016. Siblings identified Elizabeth Bishop, sister and Jonathan Bishop, brother. Husband identified as Simon James Foster..."_

Simon shook his head, "stop, identify Simon Foster 2030."

A picture of him showed on the screen and in it he had is arms wrapped around Etta's neck while she held his arms in her hands. Both looked happy but it hurt that in another lifetime he'd had her and not the timeline he resided in.

_"Simon Foster, Fringe Division Agent. Partnered with Henrietta Bishop upon graduating Fringe Division Academy in 2030. Year of birth unknown, identity only found current as of 2028 upon database entrance in Fringe Division. Date of Marriage identified as June 21 2031."_

He sighed and asked an important question to him, "is there any record of happiness in the marriage of Simon Foster and Henrietta Bishop?"

_"Records indicate that the marriage between Simon and Henrietta Foster was peaceful and loving. Personal journals indicate that neither party sought another during their time together, quotations by Henrietta Foster available for hearing."_

"Play."

Etta's voice filled the room with words so gentle he could only smile. **"It's been ten years but it feels like two. Every moment with Simon is as if we are lost in time, a world of our own. He is the only one for me, the only person I could ever be with. When my mother told me of this curse my kind carries I felt burdened knowing that I would find happiness with someone but their happiness to me could be fleeting. That burden is gone with Simon, although chemicals in my blood destine me to him it does not mean that the universe had the final say. Timelines have not wavered with us, through war and death we have been together and still we hold strong. He is my soulmate and my only love and I would war through another Observer world if it meant having another lifetime together because two is not enough."**

"Computer restore photo."

Everything was gone except the photo of Etta, of which he smiled at and allowed himself to rest.

* * *

Walter Bishop looked at the device on the table and then at Clara, "is it ready?"

"Of course it's ready," Clara placed a hand on his arm. "Grandfather do not doubt me, the Bishop genes are ever present plus with Grandmother Etta's journals we were able to recreate this device. It allows itself to power through temporal particles. She was after all the only one with exact expertise in temporal particles."

The old man chuckled, "of course, her unique DNA presented an ability no one could have predicted when combined with Cortexiphan."

Michael pulled on Walter's shirt and turned, both saw Simon walking over with another nurse beside him. Clara nodded and the nurse left Simon with them. The man shoved his hands into his pockets and looked at the device.

"So how far in the future am I exactly?"

"2174," Clara smiled at him and looked back at the device. "This will take you where you belong, where you will have a chance to change something that only you can change." She pulled up a data board and information showed on it, two different pictures of Etta. The one that had been in his small room and the other of a young girl no more than 17 who looked like she'd been in war. "I already know you've looked through the archives Agent Foster so don't pretend you haven't. You're going to make sure this never happens." She pointed to the picture of Etta who had been through war.

He shrugged, "how can I change fate?"

"Because you cause it." Clara sat down in a nearby chair and looked up at him. "It was discovered that when the Observers took you in the timeline you remember, they erased you permanently. So when time was reset you didn't exist at all. You heard Etta speak of the curse of her kind…she was only destined to one and during her teens she realized that she had a broken heart that could not fade. Because you did not exist she always felt hollow so she tried to undo time, to make it so she did not exist and in doing so undid everything Walter had done. Thus a war descended down on the universes we cannot begin to imagine."

Walter placed a hand on his arm, "we recovered you after realizing that history had diverted somewhere and two timelines we present. Michael helped us remove you before you could be killed and brought you here. Unfortunately you still do not exist but you can come to be and help Etta before she destroys it all."

* * *

A picture of the two of them laid on the data board once again, this time Etta was the 17 year old in a black cadet uniform with him beside her. "You will become this to her and so much more. Your love for her will not be lost because you are delivering her heart back to her."

Clara continued to pull up pictures before a short video emerged and Simon was stunned by Etta. She wore the same type of clothes she wore in his timeline, jeans and henleys with a jacket. Except this time she was a little older, of age about 30 or so.

**"Simon if you're watching this then you are about ready to journey back to a time where you do not exist. I know you're hesitant, after all you always were one for the rules unless it meant my safety. Trust me when I say I need you to take a leap of faith and do it. Imagine living life knowing you have no one for you, while others around you are happy…the pain I endure because of you not being present is so indescribable I can't put words to it. But you will be soon, one day I will be sitting in a library trying to work without much enthusiasm but suddenly my head hurts and I pass out. When I wake up, I remember another time with you and I no longer feel the hollowness of having no one. You'll find me and we'll never be apart again. Trust me because you're already late, very."**

He chuckled and looked down as the video shut off, "sorry, very."

Clara took the device and held it out, "your wrist."

"So how does this work?"

"I have already timed it to arrive on a certain day in 2028 in Olivia Dunham's office. Walter has a note for you to give her." Walter handed a USB drive over and Simon pocketed it quickly. "This will work, are you ready?"

Simon looked down at the device, "as much as I can be. Am I crazy for doing this just because she asks me to?"

"No," Clara smiled and shook her head. "I remember hearing about you two all though my childhood." She began starting the device and smiled, "after all you are my great-great-great grandfather so I know it will work because I am proof."

He pulled her chin up and looked at her eyes, "those are Etta's eyes, there is no doubt about that."

"Goodbye Grandfather Simon and good luck." She stepped away and suddenly ribbons of color whipped around him and it was beautiful.

* * *

The colors stopped and he stood in what was Broyles' office in his time, turning he found Olivia Dunham with a gun pointed at him as well as Peter Bishop. Placing his hands up he eyed them both. "I can explain."

"Simon?" Peter lowered his gun, "it's Simon Foster…from before." Olivia dropped her gun too, "how did you get here?"

"Walter sent me, it's a long story but he said I was the key to stop Etta from destroying the universes. He said if I didn't stop her than she'd destroy every universe in a war that is unimaginable."

Olivia shook her head, "she's 16 now and there are no more Observers. There's not much to stop Simon so whatever reason Walter sent you is now mute."

Simon pulled out the USB drive, "he said this would explain."

The phone rang at that moment and Olivia pressed the speaker, "Dunham."

_"Ma'am, FDA just called and said Etta was in the infirmary. Dr. Perry just faxed the information to my machine and it states that her body is and I quote 'depleting as it tries to adjust to the cognitive overload the brain is undergoing' and he states she's already been given 150 cc's of her medication to make sure she doesn't deplete below the coma level."_

Both Olivia and Peter looked at each other as she replied. "We'll be there shortly, send them that message." She pressed the button and looked at Simon, "this is your fault."

"Liv he doesn't know, her mind protected itself then and didn't show anything." Peter looked at Simon as he stood up from his seat. "Etta is very sensitive to temporal particles and when you used that device she must have sensed it and her body overloaded as result. She'll be fine in a few hours."

He was quickly placed at a desk to wait while both disappeared somewhere, FDA they said but he had a hard time understanding what the Food and Drug Administration had to do with Etta being in the infirmary. He waited for information because he didn't want to harm her any more than he had by accident.

* * *

Olivia Dunham sat by her daughter's side and watched as the hours ticked on. Peter was in and out with coffee, talking to the doctors and reviewing Etta's medical records himself. It was nearly midnight when eyes started to flutter and Olivia looked down to see Etta opening her eyes.

"Etta…hey, how are you feeling?"

The girl smiled, "I'm okay Mom, just another timeline to remember." She spoke as if it didn't matter and that concerned Olivia. "For the first time I don't feel hollow."

"Honey, why would you think you were hollow?" Olivia squeezed her daughter's hand. "Because you were missing a timeline?"

Etta shook her head and smiled sadly, "because he was gone, because he never existed and I was alone."

"Who was gone?"

"It doesn't matter Mom, he's here…I can feel it. He left me to save Dad from the Observers and then I saw him in the lab. Now I know, I can sense the temporal particles that he holds. Simon's here and I'm not alone anymore. Just like you weren't alone when you found Dad in this timeline, the hollow feeling faded."

Olivia just stared at her daughter in shock because she hadn't realized that her daughter had felt such pain. Pain she had felt once before and wished on no one, the pain of your soul mate not existing.

* * *

A/N: I plan on continuing this as I can, I am at University and will write when I can. I always have this dream of Simon and Etta reuniting in the new timeline somehow and eventually this came to mind.


	2. Two Lives, One Girl

No Longer Hollow

Spoilers: Season 4 and 5

Disclaimer: I really own everything but the direct Fringe Characters (Peter, Olivia, Etta, Walter, Simon, Nina, Broyles, Astrid, Michael and Fringe Division) and guest stars (Jessup) and alternate universe characters (Liv, Lincoln, Treavor, Walternate, Elizabeth, Charlie).

* * *

Olivia Dunham sat with her daughter as Dr. Perry finished the discharge exam. While Etta had been all smiles and full of life before the incident despite the pain she'd described to Olivia, the girl was on edge and snippy in remarks. It was like looking at the 24 year old woman who fought in a war against Observers. There was little doubt some bleed over had occurred and Olivia would fight Etta to forget, her daughter didn't need those haunting memories or a lifetime of anguish.

"Alright you're good to go." Perry nodded and handed Etta a small pouch, "we stocked you up for a while but try not to need it."

Etta nodded and threw the pouch in her bag and pulled it on, "thanks Doc."

"Be sure to come back if you have any symptoms that aren't normal. I'll see you for your monthly physical next month." Perry looked to Olivia. "Anything you'd like to know?"

"How do we scale down the bleed through of memories and emotions?"

The doctor shook his head, "as you personally know Olivia, the bleed through only occurs as much as you let it. It's up to Etta when to say enough is enough."

Etta looked down at her mother, "can we go, I have classes I have to get to."

* * *

They left and headed out onto the campus where Fringe Division Academy and Bright Light Academy sat. Etta started to head east towards the science hall and Olivia walked with her. "I think a few days off would be good for you."

"Look, I don't want a few days off." Etta pulled out her phone and checked the messages she had on it, "I want to go back to my studies and cadet work. I'll see you at home this weekend."

"Etta," Olivia stopped her daughter and the girl looked at her. "That was another lifetime, one of more pain and anguish than we need, than you need. You can say 'no' to those memories and turn it off, don't become that girl."

The 16 year old thought about what to say before she spoke. "What if that is who I am? What if I am meant to be her despite being in this timeline?"

"I knew a happy and carefree girl before this happened."

"You knew someone who put on a mask to forget the pain." Etta smiled and looked away before staring into green eyes. "You didn't care when your memories bleed through so why worry about mine?"

"I don't want you to have that pain again."

The young teen shook her head, "I've been in pain all along and you've been too busy to notice. I'm a freak of nature, I have very few friends who actually are friends and the one person I wanted my entire life wasn't there. Now that's the only thing that's changed because I'll always be a freak of nature and I'll have only two friends." She shook her head and looked at her watch, "I should go, I have Physics IV in five minutes."

Olivia watched her daughter walk away and silently hoped that everything would get better. Part of her blamed Simon and she'd be talking to the agent about her daughter's former life as soon as she saw him again. Etta was darker than she had been and it worried her that the new timeline would overwrite Etta.

* * *

Simon Foster looked at Peter Bishop as the man entered him into the Fringe Division database so he'd be a working agent. He'd heard stories about the original team but before him was one of the greatest minds his old world had known, a man of pure genius. There was little doubt that the man was Etta's father because she had once had the same type of mannerisms.

"Okay, officially you are a Fringe Division agent. If anyone tries to dig up information they'll hit a clearance level issue." He handed Simon the badge and gun he'd need. "So we'll place you with Jessup until further notice, she's a little rough around the edges but you'll like her."

Looking at the badge he nodded, "how is Etta, is she recovering?"

"She's not fine if that's what you're asking." Both looked up to see Olivia Dunham walking into the room with a face of fury. "My daughter is as dark as the girl in that timeline, she's not who she was before you arrived. Whatever happened, she's changed and she refuses to close off the bleed through that's happening."

"I would never do anything to harm Etta, in any timeline. Agent Dunham you must understand that Etta was my trainee, someone under my wing and most times I managed her inability to understand rules but other times Etta had a mind of her own. The worst thing you can do is push her to do something, coaxing her will only make her dig her heels in more."

Peter shrugged, "he has a point, she's a stubborn as us both."

"You say you knew my daughter," Olivia walked over to Simon. "You say you helped her, protected her but answer me this…did you ever cross that line?"

"No." Simon looked into her eyes, "no I never crossed that line with Etta."

Olivia nodded, "but the thought was there, I see it in your eyes because I look into the eyes with the same emotions every day of my life. You loved my daughter and she in turn loved you, your death never left her and she became harder because of it. This is a different timeline Agent Foster, Etta is not the same person and you'll do well to remember that she is a teenager struggling with life. Don't think she's the same person because she remembers your timeline because she's not. Now, you'll do your job and live your life here but don't get any ideas about trying to see my daughter and you are to ignore her if she seeks you out. Do you understand me?"

"Your words are quite clear Agent Dunham."

"Dismissed."

* * *

Simon left and Peter looked at his wife in shock, "Olivia…"

She shook her head and pointed at the door, "his sudden appearance is the cause of why Etta is the way she is. You didn't see her Peter, how dark and angry she was and not the girl we raised. She is the way she is because of him."

Grabbing his wife's arm Peter looked her in the eyes. "Perhaps that's why he's here, I read what Walter sent and it's horrifying. Etta remembered the timeline a few months after her 16th birthday and she felt the pain of him not being in the world. She tried to erase herself by returning the first timeline to where I never get into the machine because she arrives and does it herself."

Olivia sat down as Peter did, "what happened?"

"Well you know Etta's abilities, imagine adding that to the power of the machine. She stepped in and everything went wrong, the universes started tearing themselves apart in ways we can't imagine. Stars go supernova, alpha radiation becomes delta radiation, people die because of diseases of centuries past just arrive out of nowhere. Finally he said that the timelines just cease to be as the universes collide in on themselves. He said Etta's pain was the source of it all and so he sent the only person back he knew could talk sense into her."

The long time agent sat thinking about what her husband was saying, it was hard to imagine her sweet daughter harming everyone without intension. Her other daughter and son were happy and had no issues with who they were nor their abilities. It was if Etta was destined to feel heartache while everyone else was happy. "What do we do?"

"I'd say a day of happy torture would be perfect, make her come here and endure a long day of nothing. Perhaps talk to Simon into acting innocent of who she is and try to befriend her. Right now all she needs is a friendship and if something does develop later on…so what."

Smiling Olivia put her arm around his neck, "I thought you were supposed to be that dad who runs every guy off."

"Well he did risk his life to save me once before, I think he's worthy of our little girl." He chuckled and Olivia nodded before looking down at her hand.

"Etta called herself a freak of nature, she hates herself because of her abilities. I blame myself for that, for taking Cortexiphan while pregnant."

Peter sighed and took her hand in his, "it was William Bell's fault and Olivia we didn't know she was there, we couldn't even begin to think you were pregnant. Sure she has these insane abilities while Jon and Ellie don't but anyone who knows Etta knows she wouldn't dare hurt anyone with them. This entire division knows about her somewhat strange abilities but knows she'd never be someone they have to worry about. Maybe it'll take time but like you she'll come to realize that she's special not a freak of nature."

"How do you do it?" Olivia smirked, "turn everything bad into a positive?"

"Genius remember!"

* * *

Etta sat on her bed just staring at her journal, it had her plan to go back in time via her abilities so she would never exist. To feel hollow part of her didn't want to exist and to give her happiness to her parents by undoing the damage of the machine. A knock on her door made her look up and she closed the journal as she found her father at the door.

"Your mom and I thought you'd like to know that Agent Dunham and Agent Lee are visiting tomorrow, we thought you'd like to hang out with us at FD tomorrow since you don't have Friday classes."

"Sure, is Trevor coming?"

Peter chuckled and shook his head, "last time he came you two caused more trouble than we all thought possible. Both Olivia Dunhams decided against letting you two have another playdate."

At the thought of the trouble she and Trevor Lee managed to work up together a few months before Etta couldn't help but laugh. They had snuck down to the lab on Level 9 of Fringe Division and created a contain spinach bomb that Broyles had been on the receiving end of. Of course that caused her stern uncle to call out both Olivia Dunhams and their husbands to control their children.

"Yeah, wouldn't want the new Fringe Division directors to be on the end of another Spinach bomb."

"I have to admit Lincoln and I got a kick out of that bomb, of course your mother and Liv were irate at you two. Tell you what, maybe I'll talk Liv and Lincoln into letting you go over in the summer. You and Trevor can torment them for a week or two."

* * *

Etta actually thought of her and her sort-of brother tormenting her surrogate aunt and uncle, it made her smirk. She and Trevor fought like siblings when they got into it but they stuck together like twins, something both their mothers couldn't understand. Since the bridge had opened when she was five and he was four they'd been two peas in a pod and even her siblings loved having Trevor over to play on occasion but they didn't have the bond she had.

"Sounds great, I'd love that."

"Love what?" Olivia came to the door with her ten year old sister behind her, "what are you two planning?"

Peter shrugged, "just maybe talking Liv and Lincoln into hosting her like we do Trevor on occasion. I said they could torment his parents for a week or two."

"Something tells me she'd never be allowed back to visit. I expect insanity in this house but they don't, you know Trevor picked up the mischief from Etta right?" Olivia shook her head and saw her daughter's smile. "I guess though it is time for them to play host though."

Ellie giggled, "I think Etta just likes Trevor!"

"Yuck!" Etta made a face of horrible, "he's like our brother, half of our DNA so no! Ellie you are so disgusting!"

"Then why don't you have a boyfriend, do you like girls or something?" Seconds later the girl squealed as she stood wet. "No fair, abilities aren't allowed to be used on us."

Etta stuck her tongue out, "at least it was just water. Besides, don't you like Michael Donovan from your Primary Algebra I class?"

"You weren't supposed to say anything!"

Peter looked at his youngest daughter as she stood like a wet rat, "who is Michael Donovan?"

"Etta, undo the last five minutes!" Ellie whined and Etta shook her head, "please undo the last five minutes."

"Can't use abilities remember?" Etta smirked and the ten year old screamed as she ran off to her room and slammed her door. "It's for her own good."

Olivia put her hands on her hips, "that was mean Etta, you have permission to undo the last five minutes so please do so."

Closing her eyes she felt for the temporal particles in and around her, she reached for them all as she thought back to it just being her father and her. Opening her eyes her mother and sister were just arriving and she ignored her sister instead of playing with her again.

* * *

A/N: Next we get to see Liv and Lincoln join the party as well as see Etta and Simon meet (again) and she reveals some dark information. Please review, it helps me know when I do good and where I need to slow down or explain something more.


	3. A Friend from the Future

No Longer Hollow

Spoilers: Season 4 and 5

Disclaimer: I really own everything but the direct Fringe Characters (Peter, Olivia, Etta, Walter, Simon, Nina, Broyles, Astrid, Michael and Fringe Division) and guest stars (Jessup) and alternate universe characters (Liv, Lincoln, Treavor, Walternate, Elizabeth, Charlie).

* * *

Fringe Division was the most amazing place to be as far as Etta was concerned, there were computers and event analyzers. Even monitoring information from the other side so they could help with their event management. Etta often took a seat at one of the spare computers and looked over old cases to read about the old days. She knew her parents spoke about them differently because they remembered another time.

The timeline they remembered was different from the one they lived in and from her abilities Etta could see those timelines without a problem. She saw events when they spoke about them, knew the differences because her ability was particle manipulation. It was one of those insane abilities no one thought possible but genes from two universes and Cortexiphan thrown in left her with a unique ability. It was more of pain because she saw all particles be they quantum, temporal or the regular everyday particles that people were made up of. It also allowed her to manipulate anything, from a tree branch's growth to forming water out of nothing and tormenting her sister. Of course it made her a freak of nature and most people thought her weird when they saw or heard about her using her abilities.

She wanted to go back to the original timeline and correct everything so her parents would be happy but also so she wouldn't exist. From what she understood, she was a happy accident cursed with abilities because of William Bell's drugging her mother with Cortexiphan to use her in a world ending event. At least she wouldn't be the happy accident but when and if her parents had a child again they would be normal.

"Aren't you a little young to be working here?" Etta turned with a remark ready when she found Simon standing beside the desk. "Where is your visitor's badge?"

Etta stood up and looked at him, she smiled and shook her head. "You're late…very."

A smile formed on Simon's face and he eyed her, "you remember me?"

"You're supposed to say 'sorry…very', we did that for as long as we were partners and I saved your eyes. Of course I remember you Simon Foster, it may be a timeline later but I'm still me." She looked down at herself, "sort of, I'm sixteen again. Those were awkward years and I have to relive them again." Looking up at him she sighed, "you look younger than your age."

"From what I understand your grandfather and great-great-great granddaughter actually had to clone me since when I didn't survive the time travel process they created. They later perfected it by using your knowledge and it worked. Anyways, they woke me when they thought it best, apparently my age is 31. How do I look?"

She chuckled, "still old." Both laughed about that before Etta asked a critical question, "how do you remember?"

He pointed to his head, "memory chip plus Walter took a few days to tell me everything that happened after I died. You were stupid going after Windmark."

"So, apparently everything I did was stupid."

* * *

"Etta!" She turned to see her surrogate aunt and uncle walking in with her parents.

"Aunt Liv!" She moved over to red head and hugged her tight, "how is Trevor?"

The woman laughed, "grounded, he took our car out driving while we were working. Got pulled over and we had to bail him out of the local precinct. Unfortunately that's why he's not here."

"I want to kick him, he ruined my day." Etta folded her arms, "he knew you were coming over this month no doubt and decided to throw away his chance to visit by doing something stupid."

Liv tilted her head, "your parents managed to talk us into letting you stay for a week this summer. You don't do anything stupid to get that privilege removed because we want you to spend it over with us."

Lincoln hugged the teenager too, "can't wait for the summer Squirt, how have you been since we last saw you?"

"Well I moved up to Physics IV and got my preliminary badge at FDA. I get to help out here on Fridays when my parents let me." Etta smirked and folded her arms, "I also now have a best friend other than Trevor."

"Good because being like your mom with no friends," Liv shook her head, "not a good idea."

"Hey!" Olivia looked at her counterpart, "I had friends…"

The red head chuckled and bumped the blond's arm, "name three!"

Lincoln rolled his eyes and shared a look with Peter, "alright let's start the meeting before we have a catfight on our hands."

"Agreed!" Peter looked over at Simon and nodded before turning towards Olivia's office.

Etta watched as her aunt and mother started bickering, she actually laughed and shook her head as it was a normal event. Simon joined her as they watched the spectacle. "So, is that normal?"

"You have no idea." Etta looked up at him, "so want to help me with my monthly prank? Trevor and I usually do something when he's here but since he's not I'll have to settle with you."

"How about this instead," he looked down at her. "No prank this month, instead why don't you give me a tour of this Fringe Division since it seems different?"

She rolled her eyes, "come on old man!"

* * *

Peter and Olivia went in search of Etta knowing she'd probably be somewhere with Simon. They finally found them on the building's patio playing a game of poker. Both stood and watched as the two sat on the patio concrete with bottles of water and a bowl of what looked like peanuts.

"Straight beats your one high pair." Etta threw down the cards and Simon chuckled, "I have a thing for numbers this time around."

Simon picked up the cards and began shuffling them, "Etta while I was in the future I heard about that secret plan of yours."

Etta sighed and looked at her hands, "I just wanted everything to be right again."

"What wasn't right?" His brown eyes met her blue, "you're happy here and apparently you have a family that spans universes. What could you possibly want to change?"

The young teen pulled her knees up and wrapped her hands around them. She picked with her shoe laces as she whispered, "I'm a freak of nature, because my mom was flooded with a toxic drug while pregnant with me I became a freak. Everyone acts like I have a plague when they hear or see what I do and I have no friends except Trevor. My sister and brother aren't freaks, they're normal. Sometimes I wish I didn't exist." She looked up at him, "when you see it you'll never want to be around me again. My plan will make it so I never exist, so my parents can be happy and have normal kids."

Simon chuckled and put the cards down, "timelines maybe different but you remind me of that girl in the lunch room at the school. The girl who didn't want to exist, the orphan who felt unworthy and thought her ability to not be read was what separated her from others. Do you remember what happened then?"

A smile emerged across Etta's face and she laughed, "you said I could be more than I was. I could stand tall and be an agent who helped others by using the ability I had. I could protect and be the secret keeper you all needed." She looked at Simon, "and I later became more than I was."

"You became the face of the Resistance, I'd say that was more than the orphan girl in the lunch room."

"Yeah it was." She sighed and shook her head. "So you're the same thing, to become more than I am and use this freakish ability to help others?"

He chuckled and nodded, "exactly Agent so do you accept your mission?"

"Accepted and…I'll do better this time, be better than who I was."

"For who? Me, your parents…who are you going to be better for?"

She shook her head and looked at her hands, "no, I'll be better for myself." Smiling the teen grabbed the deck of cards and began dealing another game.

Olivia looked at Peter and smiled, "he's good for her."

"She needs someone who understands both sides of her." Peter put his arm around Olivia, "I'm going to have to set some boundaries though because she's still 16 here."

* * *

A/N: Next we get a taste of Etta at school and how she deals with bullying with new memories.


End file.
